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The following 4 days would turn into some of the best fishing any of us had ever done in our lives. Following our journey out of Idaho and into Wyoming via Yellowstone we started to stumble out of our tents when the sun inched over the mountains. Basically all of us had the same question; “where the hell are we”. After breakfast and a quick wake me up spring water bath we hit the stream. All we knew about this stream was what we were being told by Ryan, who did a bit of internet investigation, kidnapping and torture to get what information he needed to put us smack-dab in the middle of a trout fishing (and whitefish) wonderland. Throw in the rugged terrain, wildlife around every corner, NOBODY else fishing, jaw dropping scenery and big bad hungry trout (i’m pretty sure I saw Micheal Jackson riding a unicorn). The only thing missing was a boat, and a hot shower. We could have covered every inch of water by foot but it would have taken weeks and some of the water was private, but could be fished out of a boat as long as the stream bottom was not bothered (2012 trip is already planned!!!).

We walked maybe 50 yards from camp and we were at the stream. Chris went downstream left to a huge slick and Ryan headed right towards a bend in the river (1 of 10,000). I think I just hopped in and crossed and started fishing upstream. I saw everyone landing fish including myself and I hate fishing alone, incase a cameraman or net-man is needed quickly. With 3 guys and 2 directions to go someone was either going to be fishing behind 2 guys that can cover water and catch fish so I headed towards Ryan (he had the DSLR camera). Unfortunately I should have tossed Chris one of the cameras but the thought never crossed my mind and at the time. Really who travels across the country to fish and doesn’t bring a camera!!?? Ryan and I played the hop-scotch game for about what seemed like 20 hrs and 10 miles catching fish after fish after fish after fish. Each one seeming to get bigger as you would move towards the head of a run, which we figured out pretty fast and is probably the reason we ended up covering so much water over the next few days of fishing.

Our last day of fishing turned out to be the best, but not because of the fishing because of the new friends we made at Lodge X. After a full day of hook setting, stream hiking, fish landing paradise (would scenery seeing fit in there?) we headed back to the lodge to gear down and clean up for dinner. Now we assumed talking with the owners about dinner versus what time we would be back that we would be getting some kind of leftover that the dog probably wouldn’t eat or meat from the horse that just died that week. Definately something packaged in styrofoam heated up in the microwave. We, thank god, were WRONG! First off, all of us took a 4 day long overdue shower and dug out some fresh clothes, which that alone was worth the price of the 3 bed cabin we rented. So we headed over to the lodge with a few beers in tow. A couple of guys, which turned out to be the owner, his son and chef/caretaker were out on the front porch tossing back a few cold one’s waiting to hear our fish telling sories. The chef headed in to get our food ready and 30 minutes later we were half a beer case deep into a family like conversation with two of the coolest dudes you could ever have asked to meet in such a place. The boss lady came out and told us dinner was ready, now we had been in the dining hall already and it was top notch. Beautiful old log, rustic place with probably 20 different types of mounts throughout the walls, all taken by the new owners. They had the grand dining table set up for the 3 of us with a spread that 20 people couldn’t finish. Potatoes, green beans, rolls, some noodles with gravy, roast with even darker gravy, sweet potatoes, sweet tea, some apple thing that had to come from mother teresas vagina that grandma had made. They just kept bringing more and more out. Ice cream, cookies, more roast, there may have been more variety, I can’t remember because at some point I went into a food coma. We ate ourselves stupid and hung out listening to stories from the chef, father, son, grandma and the boss lady. “You guys gonna have breakfast in the mourning?” I should have made sweet love to her that night after the thoughts she put in my head of the breakfast spread I went to bed dreaming about that night. (15$ dinner and 10$ breakfast WOW!) We had planned on hitting up the game room that night, we even had a fresh case of Coors ready on ice but none of us were up for it. We even had the camp cat come sleep with us that night, helped make us fee more at home. She went from bed to bed to bed all night looking for love and I think she might have found a little with Ryan.

I’m not even going to describe breakfast…..you name it, they offered it. 10$ God dam that was 2 good home cooked meals. That mourning we packed up for the ride into THE HOLE. But before we left the owners came up thanking us once again for coming to stay and we decided to leave a few items we picked up at Wally-World we were no longer in need of that we couldn’t take on the plane. Amazing how such a small gesture like a few coolers can leave an impression on someone. I know that if we are anywhere in the area, and we will be, next year we will stop in if not spend a few nights back at the place.

Thanks man!!! I still haven’t had time to re-read it yet…I have a bad habit or writing things late at night when I’m tired. I usually mess up a bunch of spelling and grammar. But it usually brings out some creativeness 🙂